I am a Tombstone Tourist: someone who loves to wander cemeteries. I find it akin to visiting a museum: an opportunity to enjoy rarely seen sculpture, intricate carvings, and amazing architecture, all in a tranquil outdoor setting. This blog is about cemetery culture, art, history, issues of death, and genealogy - subjects of current relevance. I usually find something that intrigues me and makes me want to dig deeper. Care to join me? Read on...

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Cemeteries Worth the Visit – Green Hill Cemetery, Bedford, Indiana

Green
Hill Cemetery is a tombstone tourist’s delight! Founded in 1889, Green Hill is located in Bedford, (Lawrence
County) Indiana. Consisting of
over 20 acres of rolling hills near the center of town, Green Hill maintains a
quiet, reflective atmosphere with sculptures and carvings that beckon you to
walk the grounds.

Largest stone ever shipped from here

Oolith Limestone

The
town of Bedford is known as the “Limestone Capital of the World.” This is the only area of the country
where Oolith limestone has been found in such great abundance. Oolith was sought out because of its
beauty and endurance. Once the
oolith rock was dug, exposure to the elements hardened and strengthened it,
making it more durable and weather resistant. Perfect for building cities
throughout the new country.

Ready to ride the rails

Lawrence County, Indiana

The
‘Father of the Limestone Industry,’ Dr. Winthrop Foote, arrived in Lawrence
County in 1818 from Connecticut.
Foote realized the potential use for the limestone and purchased acres
and acres of stone land. He predicted that limestone would be sent to the East
Coast for use in building cities well before there was a railroad in place to
haul the stones and carvings to their destinations.

Working the Quarry

Indiana Stone Carver (IHS)

Foote
opened the first quarry in the state, Blue Hole, in 1830. He brought in a
master stonecutter, Mr. Toburn, from Louisville, Kentucky in 1832. Soon stone workers and master carvers
from all over the world were arriving in Bedford to work in the Indiana
quarries.

Empire State Building

National Cathedral

The
stone carvers came from Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and Italy, each
bringing his understanding of stone and his carving skills. These men helped to build America
through the quarrying and carving of oolith limestone. From the 1870’s until
after WWII, Indiana limestone was used to build over 30 notable architectural
landmarks in the U.S., including, the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, and
the National Cathedral.

The
work of numerous stone carvers can be seen at Green Hill Cemetery. Hundreds of carvings, statues,
sculptures and engravings exist in minute detail, thanks to the limestone’s
ability to weather well.

Stone Cutters Monument

Hand with Mallet

Many
of the stone carvers from the past are buried here, near the Stone Cutters
Monument, erected by the Bedford Stone Cutters Association in 1894. The monument shows a late 19th
century stonecutter, holding a mallet in his hand. Clasped hands are shown on the front of the monument,
beneath it’s gabled roof.
The other three sides bear the carved images of a hand with a mallet, a
sexton and square and a grouping of stonecutting tools. This monument, along with those listed
below, is included in the Smithsonian American Art Museum Inventories of
American Painting and Sculpture.

Other
monuments included in the Smithsonian American Art Museum Inventories are,

The
Baker Monument –

Baker monument

Top of Workbench with Tools

This
gravestone is an exact replica of how the wooden workbench, belonging to stone
carver Louis Baker looked as he left it for the last time on August 29,
1917. Baker was killed when he was
struck by lightening that night at the age of 23. In homage to him, stone carver Marion Taylor and fellow
stonecutters recreated the workbench in limestone, detailing Baker’s discarded
carving tools, apron, bent nails, and stone slabs. Baker was working on a building cornice at the time.

Corbin Family Marker

The
Corbin Monument –

This
limestone grave marker shows Christ kneeling in prayer. The sculpture was carved by three
stonecutter brothers, Virgil, Elmer and Jesse Corbin for their family plot in
the 1940’s.

The
Wallner Monument –

List of Battles

Wallner Monument

This
WWI soldier is the life-like carving of Michael F. Wallner (1893 – 1940.) Wallner was a private in Company A-16th
Infantry’s First Division. The
battles he fought in are listed on the base of the stone, along with the
dates. Wallner was wounded by
shellfire in a campaign on July 20th, 1918. He was sent home and hospitalized for his
wounds. He never recovered and
died in the hospital 22 years later.

The
Barton Sculpture –

Barton detail

Barton Statue

Local
resident Tom Barton stands ready to begin yet another game of golf. The detailing of his 1930’s clothing,
including bow tie and cuffed pants, make the statue appear ready to tee off.
Legend has it that Barton died while playing golf in 1937.

A Couples Stone

Other
amazing examples of limestone statues, carvings, and monuments are spread
throughout the cemetery. As an
avid ‘tree stone as grave marker’ person, I was amazed at the sheer number of
those stones found here. The
Bedford Walking Tour brochure lists 26 tree stones in Green Hill, but there are
even more!

Tree
stones were popular from the 1880’s through the 1930’s. They could be ordered
from catalogues and were also offered as a benefit to belonging to the Modern Woodmen
of America and Woodmen of the World, both fraternal benefit organizations.

You
can find mass-produced trees in cemeteries throughout the country. But the true jewels are the hand-carved
tree stones, depicting an individual's hobbies and interests carved into the tree stone. The tree stones in
Green Hill are rich with these details.

Footes Tomb Sign

Foote Family Stone

Footes Tomb

And
a final word on Winthrop Foote - While his family stone is located in Green
Hill, he and a brother are buried just east of town near what was once the Blue
Hole Quarry. (Blue Hole is where stone for the Indiana State House, Chicago’s
City Hall, and the Vanderbilt Mansion in New York came from.) Mr. Toburn, the area’s first stonecutter,
cut and designed the Foote vault in 1840.
Foote’s brother Ziba was buried here soon after. Foote died in 1856 and was interred
here, along with, according to locals, his horse of whom he was very fond. Legend also has it that Foote also had his
money buried with him in the tomb.
You can see where attempts have been made to cut into the limestone, but
Foote continues to rest in peace.

Green
Hill Cemetery is located at 1202 18th Street in Bedford,
Indiana. The cemetery manager is
Peggy Tirey, and the phone number is (812) 275 – 5110. The cemetery does not have a web
page. Two walking tour brochures
are available at the cemetery office located at the main gate.

Green Hill Cemetery

Green
Hill Cemetery is definitely worth the visit! Plan an afternoon and take a step back in time as you
explore this gorgeous cemetery. The amazing skill and intricate details found on the
tombstones indicate the deep pride and respect the stonecutters and carvers had
for their craft. And the durable limestone they used allows us enjoy their pain-staking work, over one hundred years later.

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